Dante, Inferno
Lucan in Dante’s Limbo
Lucan completes the four approaching poets whom Virgil identifies in the fourth canto. Together with the guide, they constitute the learned company into which Dante is invited. Dante records both their courteous greeting and the greater honour of being numbered among them. Lucan’s appearance here concerns the poem’s representation of literary ancestry, not a separate description of his historical life.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryLucan completes the four approaching poets whom Virgil identifies in the fourth canto. Together with the guide, they constitute the learned company into which Dante is invited.
Further detail
LiteraryDante records both their courteous greeting and the greater honour of being numbered among them. Lucan’s appearance here concerns the poem’s representation of literary ancestry, not a separate description of his historical life.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows the exact supplied Thompson & Thomas edition of H. F. Cary’s translation. Figures, places and events belong to Dante’s literary vision; their assigned roles are distinguished from historical biography, other classical traditions and independently established descriptions of an afterlife.
Original passages
Source 1
Dante's Inferno
Lucan is the last. Because they all that appellation own, With which the voice singly accosted me, Honoring they greet me thus, and well they judge."Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 33
Passage read against the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace normalised and original-leaf mapping checked. Plate art separately visually inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0082-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0082-E001-P0033
- Original scan leaf
- 40
- Recorded leaf number
- 40
- Current Reader position
- 33
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
I was sixth amid so learn'd a band.Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 33
Passage read against the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace normalised and original-leaf mapping checked. Plate art separately visually inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0082-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0082-E001-P0033
- Original scan leaf
- 40
- Recorded leaf number
- 40
- Current Reader position
- 33
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Literary & Visionary Figures ↗
Homer in the Company of Poets
The supreme poet who leads the classical company greeting Virgil in Limbo.
Shared source pageHorace in Dante’s Limbo
The poet named Flaccus, praised for satire within the classical company.
Shared source pageOvid in Dante’s Limbo
The poet named Naso, standing third in the company that receives Dante.
Shared source pageLimbo in the First Circle
The first circle, where worthy souls endure desire without hope of blessedness.